Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 10:27, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
American Standard Version
The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days; But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
World English Bible version
The fear of Yahweh prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 10:27 Meaning & Commentary
This verse compares someone walking in the fear of the Lord and the wicked. The Bible declares that the fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short, so let’s dig deeper and see why this is. When thinking of someone walking in the fear of the Lord, a few things come to mind.
Firstly, The Bible teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight, and Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. So, someone who sets off on the path to wisdom and knowledge sets themselves up for success and long life. Such a person will want to learn as much as possible, take that knowledge, and apply Wisdom.
What could be some things which could cause a wicked person’s life to be cut short? It could be that they get involved in things they should not be involved in or not being careful, cautious, or aware of a particular form of danger when they should be walking circumspectly with The Lord and in Wisdom. The fear of the Lord keeps a person close to God. They will desire to please Him and do his Will because they fear him. So, someone who walks close to God prolongs his life because God is with him and by his side. The wicked person chooses to do life alone and is therefore at the risk and mercy of this unforgiving world that we live in!
Application
How then can we practically apply Proverbs 10:27 to our lives?
The practical application is to seek the fear of The Lord in our lives. Although The Bible does warn us that the years of the wicked will be cut short, when we walk in the fear of The Lord, we will automatically shun evil and wickedness: Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. So, The Bible teaches us that the fear of The Lord causes us to turn away from the snares of death.
So, as we seek the fear of The Lord, wisdom, and knowledge, which are all somewhat intertwined, we will be delivered from the snares of death, and our years will not be cut short. A few practical examples: we have a group of friends who want to get up to mischief, which we know is not good; we say No and choose the fear of The Lord instead. We know we should not be associating with a particular group of people; we say No and choose the fear of The Lord instead. We are often faced with choices in life, either to do the wrong thing or the right thing.
As we choose to do the right thing, we build the fear of The Lord into our life: Proverbs 1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. So, we see from this verse that the fear of The Lord is not just something that we “feel” or automatically come to us; we purposely need to choose to walk in it. Another practical thing we can do is be very mindful and purposeful about who we hand around and spend our time with, as the people that we do hang around with can either make us better or ruin our character: 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals. Therefore, we need to choose our friends and associations wisely!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come to you know in Jesus’ Name and thank you for the insight you have given me through your Word. I pray and ask that you help me choose The Fear of The Lord every day and moment I walk with you. Please help me surround myself with other people who will inspire me to walk with you and not cause my character to be corrupted. I pray and ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
